 Our purpose
The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank is a community-based cord blood bank that collects, processes, stores umbilical cord blood for the purpose of clinical and basic research in the field of stem cell transplantation. We are one of about 24 public facilities across the nation. Our program includes community and donor education, cord blood collection, processing in our laboratory, release of the cord blood product, and evaluation of transplant outcomes. We also maintain an ongoing effort to increase the diversity of donors from which cord blood is collected.
Success based on generosity
A major feature of this program is the active involvement of delivering physicians, midwives, and the delivery staffs at participating hospitals. These professionals play an invaluable role in facilitating the donation process. Their voluntary support and cooperation strongly impact the success of this program. Their active involvement encourages expectant parents to participate in the collection process.
The generosity of the community continues with the more than 60,000 families who have donated since we began operations. As a result, we have banked over 16,000 fully characterized cord blood units making them available for use in transplantation. There have been approximately 8,000 cord blood transplants performed globally, the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank has provided nearly 15 percent of all units used for transplant.
Diseases treated
Umbilical cord blood is currently being used to treat malignant bone marrow diseases like leukemia and lymphoma, as well as congenital disorders like Fanconi's anemia, Wiskott Aldrich syndrome and Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (the boy in the bubble syndrome). Non-malignant diseases such as Severe Aplastic Anemia, thalassemia and sickle cell anemia are also benefiting from therapies using cord blood. Unlike other treatments for sickle cell anemia, cord blood offers a cure, The St. Louis Cord Blood Bank has distributed over 1500 units for use in transplantation to treat these and more than 70 other conditions.
Cord Blood Processing
Each cord blood unit is tested to be sure it is free of infectious dieases or other medical concerns. It is analyzed to confirm that it contains an adequate number of blood-forming stem stem cells for transplant. The cord blood is typed and listed on registries that are searched by transplant facilities looking for a match for one of their patients. Each cord blood unit is frozen and stored in a liquid nitrogen freezer until it is needed.
Accreditations
Collections provided to the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank are processed in a fully operational, dedicated laboratory which is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP), licensed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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